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| The Council of Sardica restores Paul and Athanasius to their Sees; and on the Eastern Emperor's Refusal to admit them, the Emperor of the West threatens him with War.
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Chapter XXII.—The
Council of Sardica restores Paul and Athanasius to their Sees; and on
the Eastern Emperor’s Refusal to admit them, the Emperor of the
West threatens him with War.
Those convened at Sardica, as
well as those who had formed a separate council at Philippopolis in
Thrace, having severally performed what they deemed requisite, returned
to their respective cities. From that time, therefore, the Western
church was severed from the Eastern;327
| 327This separation was only temporary and must be
distinguished from the great schism, which grew slowly and culminated
with the adoption of the expression ‘filioque’ into
the Apostles’ Creed by the Western church in the eleventh
century. On the various degrees of unity and communion recognized in
the ancient church, see Bingham, Eccl. Antiq. Bk. XVI. 1.
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and the boundary of communion between them was the mountain called
Soucis,328
which divides the Illyrians from the Thracians. As far as this mountain
there was indiscriminate communion, although there was a difference of
faith; but beyond it they did not commune with one another. Such was
the perturbed condition of the churches at that period. Soon after
these transactions, the emperor of the Western parts informed his
brother Constantius of what had taken place at Sardica, and begged him
to restore Paul and Athanasius to their sees. But as Constantius
delayed to carry this matter into effect, the emperor of the West again
wrote to him, giving him the choice either of re-establishing Paul and
Athanasius in their former dignity, and restoring their churches to
them; or, on his failing to do this, of regarding him as his enemy, and
immediately expecting war. The letter which he addressed to his brother
was as follows:
‘Athanasius and Paul are here with me; and I am
quite satisfied after investigation, that they are persecuted for the
sake of piety. If, therefore, you will pledge yourself to reinstate
them in their sees, and to punish those who have so unjustly injured
them, I will send them to you; but should you refuse to do this, be
assured, that I will myself come thither, and restore them to their own
sees, in spite of your opposition.’ E.C.F. INDEX & SEARCH
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